Originally Posted by rpedersen20:
Not sure why racing organizations got on board with the participation trophy deal. The organizations are afraid to send people home resulting in large and stupid amount of cars in all races. If tracks and organizations started 18 cars in a feature instead of 20-24 or even larger at some places because of provisionals the benefits could be threefold. First the money usually going to those cars can go thru the field. Second less confusion for fans trying to find out who's winning, and lastly less cars for leaders to run into lapping sometimes multiple times a race. Hell during sprint week they had 12 cars heat races taking the top four. I think some places feel guys won't keep coming back if they can't get laps, but thank god we have PARAGON.
What about scenarios where you have just one or two more entries over the cutoff point? And you're running at a track with a strict curfew? Or there's very eminent severe weather bearing down on the track's vicinity? Do you still insist on pushing off seven or eight cars to contest a B- Main that takes six to a feature that would likely now not happen?
I do think that drivers who get lapped more than twice should probably be expected to take the car pitside. (Oddball races like the Little 500, or races on tiny indoor tracks--think Ft. Wayne or Atlantic City--being exceptions.)